Referring to FIG. 1, a computer system 100 known to the prior art typically includes a client computer 110, a content server proxy 115, and a content server 120. The client computer 110 is typically a personal computer that can download information from the content server 120 over a network 130, such as the Internet or World Wide Web. The content server proxy 115 is typically a security gateway, such as a router, through which messages to and from the content server 120 pass. The content server 120 hosts one or more application programs that can be accessed by the client 110.
The client 110 is typically in communication with the content server proxy 115 over a client-proxy communication channel 135. The content server proxy 115 is typically in communication with the content server 120 over a proxy-server communication channel 145. The computer system 100 also typically includes firewalls 150, 160 to prohibit unauthorized communication to/from the content server 120.
The client 110 typically gains access to the content server 120 after passing through the firewall 150 of the content server proxy 115 and the firewall 160 of the content server 120. Thus, if an unauthorized user bypasses the content server proxy 115 and the firewall 160 (that is, if an unauthorized user is able to connect to the content server 120 without first accessing the content server proxy 115) the unauthorized user can typically access the content server 120 without encountering additional security. Further, a malicious user breaching firewall 150 typically has unrestrained access to the content server proxy 115 and, in many cases, to content server 120.
Therefore, there is a need to increase the protection of a content server 120 from an unauthorized user. There is also a need to enforce network routing requiring the client 110 to pass through one or more additional security measures before gaining access to the content server 120.